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[post_content] => For decades, the common wisdom has been that corporate public affairs teams should steer clear of national elections or risk alienating important audiences such as employees or customers. But the sentiment is different this year.
Quorum’s 2024 State of Government Affairs Survey, which asked public affairs professionals about their work, showed that more than 8 in 10 companies (82 percent) plan to get involved in this year’s election in some way.
More than half (52 percent) said they will
engage in GOTV efforts, continuing a recent trend in which companies support civic participation by offering information, getting voters registered, providing time off to vote, and otherwise helping people navigate the election.
While most companies are likely to remain publicly nonpartisan, about 40 percent said they would advocate on issues; almost 45 percent said they would contribute to candidates through a PAC; and 24 percent said they would support specific candidates in other ways.
A Tough Time Ahead
Indeed, this year’s election is likely to impact every single public affairs team in America.
With the White House, both chambers of Congress, and almost 5,800 state legislative seats on the line, it is difficult to find an issue that will not be affected by the outcome. Policies governing climate change, the economy, energy, healthcare, immigration, jobs, taxes, trade, and many other issues are all in play.
Teams will have to monitor the changes, build relationships with new lawmakers, and manage the impact on their policy agendas. This can make the job more difficult for organizations that are already working hard to convey their message to decision-makers.
According to the survey, when asked to name their biggest challenge, professionals in all types of organizations, including companies, nonprofits, and associations, most often said it was getting the attention of lawmakers. It was cited more often than understaffing or underfunding.
A majority (51 percent) said their top focus this year is explaining why their issues matter, and more than two-thirds (69 percent) said in-person meetings are the most effective way to influence policymakers.
The election makes all of that harder, capturing the attention of decision-makers, who must spend time campaigning, dominating the national conversation as it monopolizes media coverage, and ramping up partisan rhetoric.
A Polarized Environment
The partisan rhetoric and polarization that surround U.S. elections have a profound impact on public affairs.
The survey, which took place in March and April, showed that almost two-thirds (61 percent) of corporate public affairs professionals said the country’s extreme polarization makes advocacy and lobbying more difficult. Almost half (46 percent) said the election will make it even harder still.
Some experts say the difficulty will continue from now until November, and may not end when votes are cast on Election Day.
“Corporate leaders should expect—and prepare for—crises to erupt before and after the election this fall that will prompt hard questions from employees and customers about their values and commitment to democracy,” Dan Schwerin, co-founder of Evergreen Strategy Group and an adviser to Hillary Clinton,
wrote in Fast Company. “It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see what’s coming.”
From the recounts and court challenges that have become regular fare to crises like the attack on the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 of 2021, there is much evidence to suggest that an election with this much at stake could bring about challenging circumstances.
“For CEOs and their communications teams, not being prepared is business malpractice,” Schwerin wrote.
Many Companies are Not Prepared
Yet research shows that many companies are not prepared.
Last year, the University of South Carolina Business School surveyed human resources officers about the criteria for deciding whether a CEO engages in an issue. Only 42 percent said their company had formal criteria, while 32 percent had only informal criteria and 26 percent had none at all. The report called the latter results “rather troubling.”
At the same time, a growing body of research shows that people want companies to play a role both in social issues and elections. A
report by the Weber Shandwick Collective earlier this year showed that at least 80 percent of both consumers and employees agree that companies should encourage free and fair elections.
“Most Americans—both consumers and employees—expect businesses to speak up about and act on critical societal issues, help bridge societal divisions, and stand up for democratic principles,” the report said. “Yet they also expect businesses—including their employers—to maintain political neutrality in the workplace.”
What Your Company Can Do
What can companies do just a few months before the election? Experts say
there are many options, and that taking some steps is better than remaining inactive. Here are some ideas:
- Promote Civic Participation. Whether you make Election Day a paid day off or simply offer flexible scheduling, give your employees time to get to a poll and cast a vote. Many companies have joined Time to Vote, a coalition of businesses that have pledged to facilitate voting.
- Offer Voting Resources. Many companies establish an election center, allowing employees to check if they are registered, see which candidates are running, find dates for early voting, and get email reminders of key dates.
- Initiate Discussions With Your Executive Team. Take the time to discuss the election, run through likely scenarios, and how your company might respond. The more consensus you can build, the more prepared you will be.
“A strong and vibrant democracy is ultimately good for business,” Schwerin wrote. “Chaos and disruption are not. That means that protecting voting rights, civil rights, and the peaceful transfer of power is both the right thing to do and smart strategy.”
[post_title] => Survey Results: 82% of Companies are Getting Ready for the Election
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[post_content] => For decades, the common wisdom has been that corporate public affairs teams should steer clear of national elections or risk alienating important audiences such as employees or customers. But the sentiment is different this year.
Quorum’s 2024 State of Government Affairs Survey, which asked public affairs professionals about their work, showed that more than 8 in 10 companies (82 percent) plan to get involved in this year’s election in some way.
More than half (52 percent) said they will
engage in GOTV efforts, continuing a recent trend in which companies support civic participation by offering information, getting voters registered, providing time off to vote, and otherwise helping people navigate the election.
While most companies are likely to remain publicly nonpartisan, about 40 percent said they would advocate on issues; almost 45 percent said they would contribute to candidates through a PAC; and 24 percent said they would support specific candidates in other ways.
A Tough Time Ahead
Indeed, this year’s election is likely to impact every single public affairs team in America.
With the White House, both chambers of Congress, and almost 5,800 state legislative seats on the line, it is difficult to find an issue that will not be affected by the outcome. Policies governing climate change, the economy, energy, healthcare, immigration, jobs, taxes, trade, and many other issues are all in play.
Teams will have to monitor the changes, build relationships with new lawmakers, and manage the impact on their policy agendas. This can make the job more difficult for organizations that are already working hard to convey their message to decision-makers.
According to the survey, when asked to name their biggest challenge, professionals in all types of organizations, including companies, nonprofits, and associations, most often said it was getting the attention of lawmakers. It was cited more often than understaffing or underfunding.
A majority (51 percent) said their top focus this year is explaining why their issues matter, and more than two-thirds (69 percent) said in-person meetings are the most effective way to influence policymakers.
The election makes all of that harder, capturing the attention of decision-makers, who must spend time campaigning, dominating the national conversation as it monopolizes media coverage, and ramping up partisan rhetoric.
A Polarized Environment
The partisan rhetoric and polarization that surround U.S. elections have a profound impact on public affairs.
The survey, which took place in March and April, showed that almost two-thirds (61 percent) of corporate public affairs professionals said the country’s extreme polarization makes advocacy and lobbying more difficult. Almost half (46 percent) said the election will make it even harder still.
Some experts say the difficulty will continue from now until November, and may not end when votes are cast on Election Day.
“Corporate leaders should expect—and prepare for—crises to erupt before and after the election this fall that will prompt hard questions from employees and customers about their values and commitment to democracy,” Dan Schwerin, co-founder of Evergreen Strategy Group and an adviser to Hillary Clinton,
wrote in Fast Company. “It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see what’s coming.”
From the recounts and court challenges that have become regular fare to crises like the attack on the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 of 2021, there is much evidence to suggest that an election with this much at stake could bring about challenging circumstances.
“For CEOs and their communications teams, not being prepared is business malpractice,” Schwerin wrote.
Many Companies are Not Prepared
Yet research shows that many companies are not prepared.
Last year, the University of South Carolina Business School surveyed human resources officers about the criteria for deciding whether a CEO engages in an issue. Only 42 percent said their company had formal criteria, while 32 percent had only informal criteria and 26 percent had none at all. The report called the latter results “rather troubling.”
At the same time, a growing body of research shows that people want companies to play a role both in social issues and elections. A
report by the Weber Shandwick Collective earlier this year showed that at least 80 percent of both consumers and employees agree that companies should encourage free and fair elections.
“Most Americans—both consumers and employees—expect businesses to speak up about and act on critical societal issues, help bridge societal divisions, and stand up for democratic principles,” the report said. “Yet they also expect businesses—including their employers—to maintain political neutrality in the workplace.”
What Your Company Can Do
What can companies do just a few months before the election? Experts say
there are many options, and that taking some steps is better than remaining inactive. Here are some ideas:
- Promote Civic Participation. Whether you make Election Day a paid day off or simply offer flexible scheduling, give your employees time to get to a poll and cast a vote. Many companies have joined Time to Vote, a coalition of businesses that have pledged to facilitate voting.
- Offer Voting Resources. Many companies establish an election center, allowing employees to check if they are registered, see which candidates are running, find dates for early voting, and get email reminders of key dates.
- Initiate Discussions With Your Executive Team. Take the time to discuss the election, run through likely scenarios, and how your company might respond. The more consensus you can build, the more prepared you will be.
“A strong and vibrant democracy is ultimately good for business,” Schwerin wrote. “Chaos and disruption are not. That means that protecting voting rights, civil rights, and the peaceful transfer of power is both the right thing to do and smart strategy.”
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[post_content] => For decades, the common wisdom has been that corporate public affairs teams should steer clear of national elections or risk alienating important audiences such as employees or customers. But the sentiment is different this year.
Quorum’s 2024 State of Government Affairs Survey, which asked public affairs professionals about their work, showed that more than 8 in 10 companies (82 percent) plan to get involved in this year’s election in some way.
More than half (52 percent) said they will
engage in GOTV efforts, continuing a recent trend in which companies support civic participation by offering information, getting voters registered, providing time off to vote, and otherwise helping people navigate the election.
While most companies are likely to remain publicly nonpartisan, about 40 percent said they would advocate on issues; almost 45 percent said they would contribute to candidates through a PAC; and 24 percent said they would support specific candidates in other ways.
A Tough Time Ahead
Indeed, this year’s election is likely to impact every single public affairs team in America.
With the White House, both chambers of Congress, and almost 5,800 state legislative seats on the line, it is difficult to find an issue that will not be affected by the outcome. Policies governing climate change, the economy, energy, healthcare, immigration, jobs, taxes, trade, and many other issues are all in play.
Teams will have to monitor the changes, build relationships with new lawmakers, and manage the impact on their policy agendas. This can make the job more difficult for organizations that are already working hard to convey their message to decision-makers.
According to the survey, when asked to name their biggest challenge, professionals in all types of organizations, including companies, nonprofits, and associations, most often said it was getting the attention of lawmakers. It was cited more often than understaffing or underfunding.
A majority (51 percent) said their top focus this year is explaining why their issues matter, and more than two-thirds (69 percent) said in-person meetings are the most effective way to influence policymakers.
The election makes all of that harder, capturing the attention of decision-makers, who must spend time campaigning, dominating the national conversation as it monopolizes media coverage, and ramping up partisan rhetoric.
A Polarized Environment
The partisan rhetoric and polarization that surround U.S. elections have a profound impact on public affairs.
The survey, which took place in March and April, showed that almost two-thirds (61 percent) of corporate public affairs professionals said the country’s extreme polarization makes advocacy and lobbying more difficult. Almost half (46 percent) said the election will make it even harder still.
Some experts say the difficulty will continue from now until November, and may not end when votes are cast on Election Day.
“Corporate leaders should expect—and prepare for—crises to erupt before and after the election this fall that will prompt hard questions from employees and customers about their values and commitment to democracy,” Dan Schwerin, co-founder of Evergreen Strategy Group and an adviser to Hillary Clinton,
wrote in Fast Company. “It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see what’s coming.”
From the recounts and court challenges that have become regular fare to crises like the attack on the U.S. Capitol Jan. 6 of 2021, there is much evidence to suggest that an election with this much at stake could bring about challenging circumstances.
“For CEOs and their communications teams, not being prepared is business malpractice,” Schwerin wrote.
Many Companies are Not Prepared
Yet research shows that many companies are not prepared.
Last year, the University of South Carolina Business School surveyed human resources officers about the criteria for deciding whether a CEO engages in an issue. Only 42 percent said their company had formal criteria, while 32 percent had only informal criteria and 26 percent had none at all. The report called the latter results “rather troubling.”
At the same time, a growing body of research shows that people want companies to play a role both in social issues and elections. A
report by the Weber Shandwick Collective earlier this year showed that at least 80 percent of both consumers and employees agree that companies should encourage free and fair elections.
“Most Americans—both consumers and employees—expect businesses to speak up about and act on critical societal issues, help bridge societal divisions, and stand up for democratic principles,” the report said. “Yet they also expect businesses—including their employers—to maintain political neutrality in the workplace.”
What Your Company Can Do
What can companies do just a few months before the election? Experts say
there are many options, and that taking some steps is better than remaining inactive. Here are some ideas:
- Promote Civic Participation. Whether you make Election Day a paid day off or simply offer flexible scheduling, give your employees time to get to a poll and cast a vote. Many companies have joined Time to Vote, a coalition of businesses that have pledged to facilitate voting.
- Offer Voting Resources. Many companies establish an election center, allowing employees to check if they are registered, see which candidates are running, find dates for early voting, and get email reminders of key dates.
- Initiate Discussions With Your Executive Team. Take the time to discuss the election, run through likely scenarios, and how your company might respond. The more consensus you can build, the more prepared you will be.
“A strong and vibrant democracy is ultimately good for business,” Schwerin wrote. “Chaos and disruption are not. That means that protecting voting rights, civil rights, and the peaceful transfer of power is both the right thing to do and smart strategy.”
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